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500+ permit-based audience segments, ready to activate across programmatic, CTV, and social

Shovels Partners with Always On Data to Turn Permit Signals into Digital Audiences

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Morgan Friberg

Morgan Friberg

VP of Marketing

A building permit is one of the earliest public signals that something is about to change at a home or business. A new roof, a heat pump, an EV charger, a solar array: each one shows up in local government records before the work is done.

For years, that signal has powered analytics, lead scoring, and research. Now digital marketers can act on that signal, too. Shovels has partnered with Always On Data to turn nationwide permit data into digital audiences that brands and agencies can activate across programmatic, CTV, and social channels.

More than 500 Shovels-powered audience segments are already available, with custom audiences typically ready within 24 hours. View audience samples here.

Who is Always On Data?

Always On Data connects distinctive data sources with agencies, demand and supply-side platforms, and brands. The company identifies useful real-world signals, packages them into campaign-ready audiences, and distributes them through the platforms where media is activated.

Two things set Always On apart as a partner:

  • Transparency about sourcing. A lot of audience data is resold and rebranded until no one can pinpoint where it originated. Always On identifies its data partners and the signals behind each segment.
  • Speed. Campaigns launch and scale quickly. Always On can typically build a custom segment in about 24 hours rather than weeks.

From public records to campaign-ready audiences

This partnership brings together the strengths of both companies. Shovels collects, cleans, and standardizes building permit data from thousands of US jurisdictions. Always On Data turns those records into addressable audience segments and makes them available for advertisers on any platform.

That gives marketers a new way to reach households and businesses based on recent, real-world activity instead of broad demographics or stale purchase histories.

We’ve just scratched the surface of what the collaboration can offer, but here are a few audience segments and their use cases:

  • Home improvement: Reach households with active permits for roofing, HVAC, remodeling, windows, doors, plumbing, and other projects.
  • B2B contractor targeting: Find electricians, roofers, solar installers, and other contractors based on current permitting activity rather than business-directory classifications alone.
  • Energy and automotive: Identify households installing solar panels or EV chargers. These are strong signals of interest in electrification and clean energy.
  • Regional campaigns: Build audiences of verified residents investing in properties within a specific state or market.

When an existing segment does not fit the brief, Always On can build a custom audience around project type, geography, timing, and other Shovels data fields.

We expect the list of use cases to keep growing as more agencies see what the data can do and how unique this source is.

Why permit signals give marketers an edge

Permit data gives marketers a timely, address-level signal grounded in public records. Through this partnership, these signals are now available on the platforms marketers already use. The result:

  • An earlier, more precise signal. Permits show intent and activity at a specific address before projects finish, not months later.
  • Data you can explain. Every segment traces back to public permit records that Shovels collects, cleans, and standardizes. That makes it easier to justify to clients and compliance teams.
  • No new infrastructure. Audiences arrive through LiveRamp and existing platform integrations. There's nothing to build or maintain.
  • Fast turnaround. Custom segments in about a day mean permit data can support time-sensitive campaigns.
  • Two expert teams. Shovels knows the data. Always On knows activation. Customers get both.

For Shovels customers who already use our data for analytics or sales, this partnership also opens a second path: your digital marketing team can now activate those same permit signals as addressable audiences.

How to get started

If you want to activate permit-based audiences, or you're not sure which segments fit your campaign, reach out. Tell us a little about your goals and we can set up a joint call with the Shovels and Always On teams, so your data and marketing teams can get answers in the same conversation.